Typical Australian food blends multicultural influences (especially British, Asian, Mediterranean) with unique native ingredients (bush tucker) and iconic staples, featuring items like meat pies, Vegemite on toast, BBQs with sausages, seafood (barramundi, prawns), fresh produce (lamb, mangoes), and sweet treats like Pavlova, Lamingtons, and Tim Tams, reflecting its casual, outdoor lifestyle.
Though Australian cuisine is blended with many Asian and Mediterranean dishes, truly traditional Australian food lies in bush tucker, fresh seafood and something to soak up the ale. Not to mention the delectable pastries and sweets you'll wish you knew about your whole life!
Australia's #1 most-loved dinner: roast lamb
Other dinners in the top 10 included a good old Aussie backyard barbie, chicken parmigiana, a hot chook from the supermarket (aka 'bachelor's handbag') and, of course, spag bol. Australia's favourite recipe is roast lamb.
Australia's top foods blend Indigenous ingredients, British influences, and multicultural flair, with iconic dishes including savory Meat Pies, the unique spread Vegemite, sweet coconut-dusted Lamingtons, meringue-based Pavlova, and the social ritual of a backyard BBQ, alongside treats like Tim Tams, Anzac Biscuits, and pub classics like the Chicken Parmigiana, showcasing a diverse culinary identity.
Roast lamb has been declared Australia's national dish in a major poll that shows we're still a country of meat eaters at heart. The poll, held on News Ltd websites across all mainland capitals, attracted more than 24,000 votes. It revealed three clear front-runners – all of them meat-based.
Australian Food, the Most Iconic Australian Cuisine
The most popular food in Australia is widely considered the meat pie, an iconic hand-held pastry filled with minced meat and gravy, followed closely by other staples like roast lamb (a Sunday dinner favorite), chicken parmigiana (a pub classic), and Vegemite on toast. Other beloved items include smashed avocado on toast, fish and chips, and sweet treats like Pavlova and Anzac biscuits.
Vegemite is perhaps the most celebrated Australian food, instantly recognisable by its distinctive taste and branding. This dark, salty spread is a staple in Australian homes, famously enjoyed on toast with a generous layer of butter.
Half of the top ten popular dishes are beef or lamb dishes, four are chicken dishes and one fish meal makes the top ten. The typical meal served and eaten on the Australian dinner table would be a red meat dish with at least three or four different varieties of fresh vegetables.
Animal native foods include kangaroo, emu, witchetty grubs and crocodile, and plant foods include fruits such as quandong, kutjera, spices such as lemon myrtle and vegetables such as warrigal greens and various native yams.
A typical Australian lunch is often simple, featuring sandwiches (like Vegemite or ham & cheese), meat pies, sausage rolls, or salads, but also includes varied options like curries, noodles, or sushi due to Australia's multicultural food scene, often with a piece of fruit or a sweet treat like a Tim Tam. Classic items include "sanga" (sandwich) with devon, "Fritz," or chicken, alongside snacks like Shapes or a Lamington, reflecting influences from British comfort food and modern fusion.
While the iconic Tim Tam is a strong contender and beloved classic, recent research suggests the savory, deep-fried Chiko Roll might edge it out as Australia's most popular snack, based on online searches, though both are incredibly popular alongside treats like Cheezels, Lamingtons, and Arnott's Shapes.
Lunch at an Australian pub is called a counter lunch, while the term counter meal is used for either lunch or dinner. Common dishes served at counter lunches and counter meals are steak and chips, chicken parmigiana and chips, a mixed grill (an assortment of grilled meats), and roast lamb or beef with roast vegetables.
Australian Main Dish Recipes
Australians eat a diverse breakfast, from quick cereals and toast with Vegemite or avocado to a hearty "Big Breakfast" (bacon, eggs, mushrooms, tomatoes) or modern cafe fare like eggs benedict and ricotta hotcakes, reflecting both traditional British influences and multicultural tastes, often paired with strong coffee. Key staples include Vegemite on toast, Weet-Bix (cereal), smashed avocado on sourdough, and the classic bacon & egg roll, alongside weekend pancakes or omelettes.
Pavlova. The quintessential Aussie dessert is the Pavlova. A soft marshmallow encased in a crisp but delicate meringue shell topped with whipped cream and your favourite assortment of fresh fruit.
Pizza, burgers, and Chinese food consistently rank as Australia's most popular takeaway options, though recent trends show strong demand for Mexican food (burritos/tacos) and healthier choices like sushi and poke bowls, while major chains like McDonald's and KFC dominate fast-food visits, and hot chips are a top individual item.
The knife remains in the right hand, and the fork remains in the left. When the meal is finished, the knife and fork are laid parallel to one another across the right side of the plate. Dining etiquette for your hands. When not holding utensils, your hands should be in your lap at the dinner table.
Australians call McDonald's "Macca's," a common nickname that became so popular the company embraced it, even changing some store signs to "Macca's" and using the term in advertising and their app. This fits the Australian habit of shortening names with an "-a" or "-o" suffix, like "barbie" for barbecue.
So there you have it, roast lamb has been voted as Australia's national dish, closely followed by the good old meat pie and the classic snag on the BBQ.
Meat Pie. When it comes to Australian food, I think that the humble meat pie likely tops the list. The closest thing to a meat pie in the US is a "pot pie", but that doesn't begin to describe it. A meat pie is traditionally a "takeaway" food item, held with the hand, and eaten at sporting events.
Here are the top 10 most popular Australian snacks:
Chiko Roll. Tim Tams. Cheezels. Cherry Ripe.
A typical Australian lunch is often simple, featuring sandwiches (like Vegemite or ham & cheese), meat pies, sausage rolls, or salads, but also includes varied options like curries, noodles, or sushi due to Australia's multicultural food scene, often with a piece of fruit or a sweet treat like a Tim Tam. Classic items include "sanga" (sandwich) with devon, "Fritz," or chicken, alongside snacks like Shapes or a Lamington, reflecting influences from British comfort food and modern fusion.
So what is the most popular vegetable in Australia?